Out of Time
by dancingirl87
Summary: AU. After a life threatening mission, Sydney finds herself in a place she never wanted to revisit, and she must fix her mistakes to return to her life. SV don’t worry! CHAP 2 UP!
1. The Ambush

Title: Out of Time  
  
Author: Robyn  
  
Email: tippytoesrobyn@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG-13-ish I guess...  
  
Disclaimer: Me no own. Would I be writing this if I did?  
  
Distribution: lol like someone would actually want it... if you do though, just lemme know the site its going to and I'll be a happy camper.  
  
Feedback: Yes please!!! It's what keeps me going!  
  
Summary: AU. After a life threatening mission, Sydney finds herself in a place she never wanted to revisit, and she must fix her mistakes to return to her life. S/V don't worry! Also, an AU story. I've changed a bunch of things, as you'll soon see.   
  
Chapter One  
  
***  
  
Sydney Bristow crouched low behind an abandoned truck and glanced frantically around. Where was everyone? Her dad, Dixon, Weiss... Vaughn. They had all disappeared. Sydney took a deep breath and closed her eyes, willing herself not to imagine what had become of them, and to finally rid the world of Sark. They had tracked him down at an abandoned warehouse in Slovakia, where he had been hatching all of his plans. And now... well Sydney didn't really know what was going on now, but she was going to find out in 3... 2... 1...  
  
Running bent over Sydney took off towards the building and reached the door unhurt. Where was everyone? But Sydney forgot about that as she crept into the warehouse. She was immediately enveloped in darkness as the door swung silently shut behind her. Sydney was in the dark for only about five seconds before the first blow came.  
  
It came at Sydney from behind, knocking her into the wall on her left. Her forehead grazed the wall and pain flared up, but Sydney pushed it down, and pushed off the wall to attack her attacker. She whirled around, left fist raised to hit whoever had attacked her, but the person was too quick. He had already gotten behind Sydney and reached around her neck with his hands, successfully cutting off her air flow.   
  
"Get off," Sydney managed, thrashing around in his grip. She wiggled and twisted, trying to get him to let god, all the while clawing at his hands to let go. Sydney had almost got herself free when more shadows appeared in front of her. By this time, it might of been the lack of oxygen, but the shadows turned into people, Sydney could only dimly see in the darkness.  
  
The newcomers grabbed a leg each, and although Sydney struggled in their grasp, she couldn't get free. The hands tightened around her neck once more, and as Sydney was carried off, the world around her went black and she drifted into unconsciousness.   
  
***  
  
When Sydney came to, the first thing she realized was that her hands were tied tightly behind her back. The second thing she noticed was that she was sitting on a hard metal chair. The third the she noted was that it wasn't dark anymore. Indeed, bright lights glared into Sydney's eyes, causing her to squint. She rolled her head from side to side, trying to see her surroundings, but it seemed like the light was shining right into her eyes.  
  
"Hello Sydney," a voice called from across the room. "Have a nice rest?"  
  
Sydney would recognize that stupid accent anywhere. "Sark," she spat, "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
Sark stepped in front of the light, so his head blocked it, and Sydney was able to see his face, and the room around her. She concentrated on Sark, and put all her energy into trying to loosen the knots that kept her hands behind her.  
  
"Ah ah ah," he scolded, shaking his head. "You'd better be nice, Miss Bristow. You wouldn't want us to hurt your little boyfriend here, would you?"  
  
Sydney felt like all the air had be whooshed out of her chest again, as she turned her head to look at the side of the room she hadn't yet seen. Vaughn was there, pinned against the wall by five men who all had guns trained on him. He had gashes an bruises on his face, and his beautiful eyes were filled with sorrow and pain.  
  
"Vaughn," Sydney whispered, her eyes meeting his for a moment. "Let him go Sark. You know you want me, you sick freak."  
  
Sark nodded to one of the men. The man hit Vaughn over the head with his rifle. Vaughn flinched, and his forehead creased in pain. "I told you Miss Bristow, watch what you say."  
  
Sydney sucked in a breath, but didn't say anything else.  
  
"That's better." Sark nodded. "Now, your father got away from me-" At this, Sydney breathed a sigh of relief, "But you won't. Tonight will be your last night."  
  
Sydney rolled her eyes, but kept her mouth shut once again.  
  
"Hmm.. now you're being a little bit too quiet. What would you say if we did this?" Sark nodded to his men, who all raised their guns to point at Vaughn's forehead.  
  
"No!" Sydney yelped, straining at the ropes that encircled her wrists.  
  
Sark nodded, looking interested like he was viewing a high school science experiment. "So, you do care." He strode over in front of Sydney. "Well then, let's give him a show shall we." Since it was a statement, not a question, Sark reached inside his jacket and pulled out a handgun, without waiting for a response.  
  
Her heart beating frantically in her chest, Sydney realized there really was no way out of this one. The ropes were too tight, Vaughn was still pinned against the wall, looking at her with pain in his eyes, and her dad was God knows where. She really was going to die tonight.  
  
Sydney rolled her head to the side and met Vaughn's eyes. She hoped that her eyes would tell him everything she couldn't. She wouldn't say anything so important in front of Sark. Vaughn smiled crookedly at Sydney, as if trying to tell her everything would be all right. Sydney smiled weakly back at him, before closing her eyes and turning to face Sark.  
  
His gun was pointed directly at her forehead, convenient for a quick death. Sydney took a deep breath and hoped it wouldn't hurt too much. There was a loud bang , Sydney pictured Vaughn's face, and then everything went white.  
  
***  
  
Sydney woke up slowly. She was sprawled on her stomach across the bed, and she rolled over onto her back, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. She opened them, and squinted, finding herself looking up at a plain white ceiling. Sydney pushed herself up onto her elbows, and decided that she was never going to drink again, if it meant she had a hangover like this again.  
  
Wait.  
  
A hangover?  
  
The last thing Sydney remembered was that crazy mission to Slovakia, and no one being outside and then...  
  
Nothing. Sydney couldn't remember what happened after that. She furrowed her brow and tried to concentrate, but her head was throbbing and she couldn't keep her mind in one place.   
  
Sydney sighed and pushed herself up to a sitting position. She rolled onto her knees, and looked out of the huge picture window, that showed a beautiful scenery of trees and sky. The sky was orange and sun was setting. Pretty, Sydney decided, and then she slowly got herself off the bed.  
  
The room spun around her, so she dropped back onto the unmade bed, and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Ohh," she moaned, feeling sick, as the room kept spinning. The window in front of her kept going round and round. It gradually slowed down, and Sydney concentrated on a particular tree outside, trying to get her focus back.  
  
Hey. Wait a minute. Sydney couldn't remember seeing that window there before. Why hadn't she noticed it before? Rising more slowly than before, Sydney stood up and successfully stood, without getting dizzy again. her head was still throbbing, but she gazed around the room.   
  
It definitely wasn't her room at the apartment she shared with Will and Francie. It was vaguely familiar though. It was obviously a bedroom. The walls were a pale purple, the bed a double and covered by a rumpled floral comforter. The furniture was all mahogany, and the walls were covered by posters and photos. Sydney picked out one in particular and had just stepped over to it when a yell came from down the hall.  
  
"Sydney! Dinner!"  
  
Dinner? No one called her for dinner anymore. And that voice, Sydney thought. It was so familiar, just like the room.  
  
"Sydney!" The person was coming closer. Sydney could hear light footsteps as they came nearer to the room. "Come on Syd, your dad will be home any minute now."  
  
The door was pushed open, and the person stepped into the room. Sydney thought she was going to pass out again.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
tbc...  
  
If you liked it... If you did, please leave me a review!! It's really what keeps me writing! And plus, I'll love you forever if you leave me one! Hint, hint! Yeah, but leave me a review. Next chapter will be up in a few days, maybe by Sunday, cuz no school today! Yay! Thanks for reading! ~Robyn 


	2. Fifteen Again

Title: Out of Time  
  
Author: Robyn  
  
Email: tippytoesrobyn@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG-13-ish I guess...  
  
Disclaimer: Me no own. Would I be writing this if I did?  
  
Distribution: lol like someone would actually want it... if you do though, just lemme know the site its going to and I'll be a happy camper.  
  
Feedback: Yes please! It's what keeps me going!   
  
PS- Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You're all AWESOME! I never expected so many after just one chapter! Hope you all like the next one too!  
  
Summary: AU. After a life-threatening mission, Sydney finds herself in a place she never wanted to revisit, and she must fix her mistakes to return to her life. S/V don't worry!   
  
Chapter Two  
  
"Mom?" Sydney asked, that annoying dizzy feeling slowly coming back.   
  
Laura Bristow smiled gently and nodded. "Yes, honey, that's me. Is something wrong? You look a little pale. Should I take your temperature? You did have a sore throat last week, Sydney." She walked over to Sydney and pressed a cool hand to her forehead. "Oh, you're warm, Syd. Get into that bed, while I get the thermometer. And no arguing," she added as Sydney opened her mouth to ask what the hell was going on.  
  
Sydney lowered herself slowly onto the bed again, and started in shock at the woman that had been dead for over ten years. Laura was bustling around in the ensuite that adjoined the bedroom, opening drawers and pulling out bottles and tubes. Sydney felt like she was going to be sick. What kind of sick twisted joke was this? Was Sark behind this? But how? Sydney was so confused; she had never been in a situation like this before. The only thing she could think to do was call Vaughn. Or her dad. But her mom - if that's who she was - had said he would be home soon. Maybe if she just waited until he came, and he could sort everything out.  
  
A blurred face was suddenly in Sydney's face, and she yelped and leapt back, falling backwards onto the pillows behind her. The blurry face turned into Laura's face, and Sydney rolled her eyes. Laura pulled a thermometer out of its case and waved it at Sydney.  
  
"Look, uh, Mom, I'm not sick, and I don't need my temperature taken. I need to talk to my father." Sydney tried to push herself up off the bed, but Laura stuck the thermometer into her mouth as she was talking, and gently pushed Sydney back into bed.   
  
"Sydney, your dad will be home any minute. You can wait and get your temperature taken until then," Laura commanded, standing up from where she had taken a seat on the edge of the bed. Laura sniffed the air, and her face melted into one of shock. "Oh no! My roast!" She tore from the room, pausing only to snap on the TV that stood in the far corner of the room.  
  
Sydney sighed and took the thermometer out of her mouth. This was getting stranger and stranger. This woman had the attitude and character of her mother down to a science.   
  
Sydney placed the thermometer on the bedside table beside her, and pushed the covers off her body. She climbed out of the bed, glad that the dizzy feeling wasn't coming back. She made her way to the TV, intending to shut it off. As she walked across the room, she passed in front of the large chest of drawers that had a large oval mirror on the top. Sydney glanced over at herself, and stopped in shock.  
  
"What the hell?!" She exclaimed. "That's not me. That is not me." Yet the body in the mirror had the same look of shock on her face, as Sydney knew had to be on her own. She stepped closer to the mirror, and placed her hands on her hair. It was dark brown like her own; in fact it was the exact same shade. It was also curly, but Sydney hadn't had curly hair since she had had her hair permed when she was what, fourteen? Fifteen?  
  
Sydney's hands moved to her face. That was exactly how old she looked. The brown eyes looking back at her were the same eyes that had looked back at her everyday before. Except, Sydney thought, they were more youthful. More innocent.   
  
Okay, hold up, Sydney thought. If I'm me, when I'm fifteen, then that would explain who that woman is. She's really my mom. Sydney shook her head and turned to the TV. It was advertising for a product that wasn't even on the market anymore. Okay, this is just too weird, Sydney thought. And totally unbelievable.   
  
Sydney closed her eyes and turned back to the mirror. When she opened them, the same young girl was still looking back at her. The dark curly hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, but it had fallen out. The youthful face was pale, and thinner than Sydney thought it ought to be. The body was tiny, and Sydney didn't remember being this short. She was wearing well-worn jeans, and a long-sleeved, colourful, striped sweater. Her feet were encased in worn-out white bunny slippers.   
  
Sydney felt a pang. She would remember those slippers anywhere. He dad had brought them back from his first trip to Paris, when Sydney had been eight, and she had worn them nearly every day since. Sydney bent over, pulled the slippers off and threw them across the room.   
  
Unfortunately, Jack had just stepped into the room to check on his daughter. He blinked, a bit surprised to have Sydney's well-loved slippers hurled at his head, but said nothing. "Hello Sydney, feeling better, are we?"  
  
Sydney turned away from the mirror, where she had been almost glaring at herself, and her eyes widened. "Dad? Uh, when did you get here?"  
  
"Just now. Are you feeling better?" Jack bent to pick up the slippers and set them on the end of Sydney's bed.  
  
"I wasn't sick, uh, Mom, she was just overreacting," Sydney licked her lips and took a deep breath. "Dad, what's the date today?"  
  
Jack looked confused, but answered the question. "March thirtieth."  
  
Sydney bit her lip and leaned on the dresser behind her, aiming for a look on nonchalance. "Okay, but what year is it?"  
  
"Sydney, are you sure you're not sick? This is not like you." Jack made a move to walk over to Sydney, but Sydney jumped back.  
  
"What year is it Dad?" Sydney asked again, one hand moving towards her mouth the bite her nails. It was a habit she had stopped when she was sixteen. Realizing this, Sydney clasped her hands in front of her, and waited for Jack's response.  
  
Jack sighed, and said; "It's 2004, Sydney. May I ask why you don't know that?"  
  
Sydney shook her head. "I knew that," She informed him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I just wanted to make sure you knew."  
  
Jack looked unconvinced, but said, "Okay Sydney. It's dinnertime anyways. You mother's burnt her roast a tad, but it would be best if you ate some anyways."  
  
Sydney nodded, looking a bit shocked and said, "Sure. Okay, I'll do that. I'll be right in; I just have to put that away." She gestured to the thermometer lying on the bedside table. Jack nodded, and left the room.  
  
Sydney fell onto the bed. "Okay, so Dad doesn't remember anything. He thinks it really is 2004. That's okay, it just means that they, whoever they are, brainwashed him or something. Except, well his hair did look darker, and fuller. And he did look a bit younger." Sydney shook her head. "Okay, now I'm just cementing my craziness, I'm now talking to myself." Sydney grabbed the thermometer, and walked into he bathroom. She put it away in the drawer, and she was walking out, she caught a glimpse of the phone.   
  
I'll phone Vaughn, Sydney thought, and grabbed it up off the receiver. Maybe I'm just in a bubble or a time warp, or something. Sydney punched in the familiar number Vaughn's cell phone. It rang twice before the operator clicked in.   
  
"I'm sorry, the number you have dialled is not in service. Please hang up and try your call again," It informer Sydney. She slammed the phone down.   
  
"Dammit!" She shouted. Why didn't you pay your phone bill Vaughn, Sydney asked herself. Unless, the number's not in service because it doesn't exist yet. "No! That's would just mean that this whole crazy thing is true, and it's not. It can't be."  
  
"Sydney? Come on darling, dinner is getting cold. "Laura's voice drifted out from where Sydney knew the kitchen would be.   
  
Wait. Where she knew the kitchen would be? Sydney looked around the room again, and walked over to one of the pictures. In it, Sydney was grinning brightly, surrounded by two girls, one blonde and one redhead. They were also smiling sunnily at the camera. The three had their arms around each other, and Sydney looked to be about twelve in the photo.   
  
"This is unreal," Sydney whispered, turning away from the wall. The room was her childhood bedroom, down to every last detail. Sydney ran over to the dresser and yanked open the third drawer. She pulled out clothes until the drawer was empty. There, in the bottom, sat he journal, right where she had known it would be. No one knew where she had hidden her journal. Not her parents or friends or anyone. This really was real.   
  
Sydney was fifteen, back in her childhood home, and no one remembered the future except her.  
  
tbc...  
  
A/N: Okay, so let's assume that the present part of the story takes place in 2018, when Sydney is 27. The past she goes back to is 2004. Yes, just wanted to clear that up, because I don't know any past things to write about lol. Also, Vaughn will for sure come into the next chapter. I just needed Sydney to figure some stuff out first. Yeah, but like always, please leave me some feedback! I love it! 


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